Elephants Without Borders will lead the Great Elephant Census, the largest pan-Africa aerial survey that will generate data critical to the species’ survival. Responding to the highest rate of elephant mortality in history, investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen is advancing a major elephant conservation initiative in Africa to provide new information.

Environmental crime such as ivory poaching and illegal logging has become “a form of serious, organised and often transnational crime”, Interpol’s executive director of police services told an international law enforcement summit.

Interpol is carrying out the largest anti-elephant ivory poaching operation ever mounted following mass killings in Africa. Wildlife agents in 14 different African countries have been raiding outlets and hunting down traders to crack down on the multi-million pound industry.

Despite recent attempts by soldiers in Cameroon to stop the mass slaughter of elephants, poachers are continuing to kill the animals in record numbers, the World Wildlife Fund said Thursday. Tom Milliken, director of the wildlife trade monitoring netwerk TRAFFIC: “There has been an increased poaching assault like we haven’t seen in two decades.”

Three African countries – Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya – are taking up arms against elephant poachers, who have killed hundreds of the gentle grey giants within the past few weeks.